Nuggets GM talks Whitsett, negotiation classes

[mook]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/07/10/weekly.countdown/index.html?eref=T1

4. Prepare. Before a GM sits down at the negotiating table, he needs to understand what the player's agent is going to say. That understanding is crucial to negotiation.
"I got this from [Bob] Whitsitt," Warkentien said of his former boss when Whitsitt was GM of the SuperSonics and later president of the Trail Blazers. `"What are they thinking at the other guy's breakfast table? You sit there and spend all day thinking about why you're right, why your position is just."
The experts at Harvard crystallized that point of view. Instead of fine-tuning your own argument, predict the reasoning of your opponent. "And then find all of the commonalities," Warkentien said. Because if you can find points of agreement, then you have a chance of pulling the opponent to your side of the table.
...
While his basketball role models -- Tarkanian and Whitsitt -- were controversial figures, Warkentien was struck by their versatility. "Jerry, when he was the coach at Long Beach State (1968-73), he played slow with a tight 1-2-2 zone," Warkentien said. "When he got to Vegas, that wasn't going to work. He went to pressing and running and trying score 100. He did what he had to do.
"Then you look at Bob, who had a totally different situation in Seattle with (owner) Barry Ackerley than in Portland with Paul [Allen]. You were on tight dollars in Seattle and he took a bunch of character guys, and he was executive of the year doing that.
"One thing that's lost on everybody is what Bob did in Portland -- he had a completely different set of marching orders than anybody ever gets. The window on the Clyde [Drexler] and Terry Porter era was closing, and Bob's mandate was to get back into the championship window without going to the lottery and without becoming a bad team. Detroit, Boston, Chicago -- even the Lakers -- they all went to the lottery before they became good again. But when Bob was in Portland we went four or five years staying in the playoffs and then we became conference finalists twice in a row. That takes different thinking. You've got to get unconventional to do that."
The lesson here is to take what the game gives you.

Even aside from the Blazers interest, it's an interesting piece about being an NBA GM, and negotiating in general.

 

[maxiep]

Whitsitt was terrific at making multiple moves to get the player he wanted in trades, but he was a terrible negotiator of contracts. Thankfully for us, it seems Warkentien learned the wrong lessons from Trader Bob.

 

[mook]

At least from the article, it seems like Warkentein designed a pretty smart contract for JR Smith.

But yeah, Whitsitt's contract negotiation strategy seemed to be, "Are you sure you wouldn't enjoy even more money than you are asking for? Because I'm happy to give it to you."

The Damon Stoudemire contract extension was the least talked about disaster of his many legacies. It was stupid big.

 

[maxiep]

At least from the article, it seems like Warkentein designed a pretty smart contract for JR Smith.

But yeah, Whitsitt's contract negotiation strategy seemed to be, "Are you sure you wouldn't enjoy even more money than you are asking for? Because I'm happy to give it to you."

The Damon Stoudemire contract extension was the least talked about disaster of his many legacies. It was stupid big.

You have discovered my bedrock philosophy: Incentives matter. Unfortunately in the NBA, it's rare that you can have that kind of leverage over another player. It's good to see Warkentien was able to apply it with a nutjob like Smith.

Mostly, that seminar was about tactics. Tactics are worthless without a clear strategy first. However, it seems Wark figured out a team building strategy when he was with UNLV.

 

[alex42083]

Whitsitt was terrific at making multiple moves to get the player he wanted in trades, but he was a terrible negotiator of contracts. Thankfully for us, it seems Warkentien learned the wrong lessons from Trader Bob.

Agreed. Though part of getting the players he wanted was part of that SPAM era, but you can't ignore the amount of talent he brought in and it always brought exciting summers and some holy shit moments.

 

[Ed O]

Whitsitt was terrific at making multiple moves to get the player he wanted in trades, but he was a terrible negotiator of contracts. Thankfully for us, it seems Warkentien learned the wrong lessons from Trader Bob.

Actually Whitsitt was very good at getting guys to sign.

Brian Grant came to Portland when we had Rasheed Wallace. Jeff McInnis came when there was no starting role for him. Derek Anderson was convinced to stay.

It cost an arm and a leg, of course, and not every move worked, but if we assume the team could lose as much as possible while remaining a top flight team, he did just fine in keeping the cupboards stocked with good players.

Ed O.

 

[hasoos]

I wish Whitsitt would be GM'ing for long enough to sign Roy and Aldridge. This would be done by now.

 

[Idog1976]

You have discovered my bedrock philosophy: Incentives matter. Unfortunately in the NBA, it's rare that you can have that kind of leverage over another player. It's good to see Warkentien was able to apply it with a nutjob like Smith.

Mostly, that seminar was about tactics. Tactics are worthless without a clear strategy first. However, it seems Wark figured out a team building strategy when he was with UNLV.

It's striking to me how much we agree about Basketball and how little about politics. Great post would rep but need to spread it around more!

 

[illmatic99]

Whitsitt was a killer, no doubt, but I don't agree with the notion that it took "unconventional thinking" to be successful in the late part of last decade. It had more to do with the fact that PA had an open checkbook and allowed Trader Bob to acquire (and overpay) every disgruntled former all-star he could find.